Dispensing unit for selectively pouring or sifting pulverulent material



March 13, 1962 D. c. FRISON 3,024,950

DISPENSING UNIT FOR SELECTIVELY POURING OR SIFTING PULVERULENT MATERIALFiled Sept. 18, 1959 ZN VEN TOR.

"Unite tats This invention relates to the dispensing of pulverulentmaterials, and more particularly to a simple and inexpensive dispensingunit which may be incorporated in the container in which the pulverulentmaterial is man keted and from which the material may be selectivelypoured or sifted.

Two types of dispensing means have been heretofore developed whichprovide for both pouring and sifting pulverulent materials. In one type,the means for pouring and sifting are incorporated in a single compactunit resembling a pouring spout commonly used on table salt containersand the like, and in the other type the pouring spout is physicallyseparated from the sifting means. The former type is usually morecompact and economical than the latter type. In the former type ofdispensing unit where the pouring and sifting means are combined intoone unit, usually the pouring spout had to be opened to expose thesifting means and the sifting means had to be moved with the pouringspout preparatory to a pouring or sifting operation. Since the samemanipulation was required to move the pouring spout as well as thesifting means, confusion sometimes resulted, so that pouring rather thansitting was obtained (and vice versa) when the opposite was desired.Even in dispensing units where the pouring spout did not have to beopened to expose the sifting means, it was often readily possible toopen inadvertently the pouring spout during the manipulation requiredfor obtaining a sifting operation, with the result that pouring ratherthan sifting resulted. Moreover, in some of these dispensing units, itwas difiicult to maintain the sitting means in operating position whenthe container involved was shaken to dispense the pulverulent material.

An object of the invention is to provide a dispensing unit of the typewherein pouring and sifting means are incorporated in a compact integralunit in a manner wherein the desired means may be readily brought intooperating position to provide a pouring or sifting operation without theabove mentioned difficulties. A more specific object of the invention isto provide a dispensing unit as above described wherein themanipulations required to provide selectively for pouring and siftingare substantially different.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dispensing unit of thetype first described which includes a pouring spout member which islocked in a closed position automatically when the dispensing unit ismanipulated ot provide a sifting operation, so that it is practicallyimpossible to dispense an excessive amount of material by pouring whensifting thereof is desired.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a dispensing unit asjust described wherein the shaking imparted to the container to pour orsift the material will not readily disturb the adjustment of thedispensing unit. Another object of the invention is to provide adispensing unit as just described which is of very simple andinexpensive construction, so that it may be economically incorporated incontainers commonly used to market table salt and other low costhousehold products.

In accordance with a preferred form of the invention, the dispensingunit comprises a spout member which is similar in size and shape to aconventional table salt dispensing spout member which includes acover-forming atent 3&24350 Patented Mar. 13, 1982 end wall and a pairof spaced, imperforate, materialguiding side walls on opposite sides ofthe end wall which are sized to engage slidably the opposite sides of adispensing opening in the top wall of the container used to market thetable salt or other material involved. Pivot-forming means are providedfor pivotally support ing the spout member between opened and closedpositions, the end wall closing off the container dispensing opening inthe closed position thereof. In accordance with the present invention,the spout member carries a cover slide member most advantageouslyslidable on the outside of the aforementioned cover-forming end wall ina direction at right angles to the pivot axis of the spout member. Theend wall is perforated so that the material involved may be siftedtherethrough without requiring the opening of the spout member.Normally, the cover slide member is in a retracted position on the spoutmember. When a sifting operation is desired, the cover slide member ispulled into an extended position where it projects beyond the pivotedend of the spout member on the outside of the container to expose theabove-mentioned sifting perforations in the spout member end wall. Inthis position, the spout member cannot be pivoted to an open positionsince the slide member forms a stop shoulder which prevents thismovement. Also, since the manipulation required to provide a siftingoperation is a sliding rather than a pivoting operation, it is unlikelythat the spout member would be inadvertently opened when sifting isdesired.

Other objects, advantages, and features of the present invention willbecome apparent upon making reference to the specification to follow,the claims and the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional table salt containerhaving the dispensing unit of the present invention mounted on the topwall thereof;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective view of the top of thecontainer in FIG. 1, with the dispensing unit in a position where thecontents of the container may be poured therefrom;

FIG. 3 is a view corresponding to FIG. 2 showing the dispensing unit ina condition where the contents of the container are sifted from thedispensing unit;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the dispensingunit shown in FIG. 3, taken along section line 4-4 therein; and 1 FIG. 5is a vertical sectional view through the dispensing unit shown in FIG.4, taken along section line 5-5 therein.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, thedispensing unit of the present invention generally designated byreference numeral 2 is mounted adjacent the perimeter of the top wall 4of a container 6 containing the pulverulent material to be dispensed.The dispensing unit comprises two relatively movable parts, namely aspout member 8 and a cover slide member 9.

The spout member has a pair of spaced, imperforate, material-guidingside walls 10-10 of quadrantal shape and sized to engage slidably theopposite longitudinal sides 12-12 of a radially elongated dispensingopening 14 formed in the top wall 4 of the container 6. A coverformingend wall 16 extends between the straight radial margins 15-15 of theside walls 10-10 for the full lengths thereof. One end of the end wall16 extends beyond the arcuate margins of the side walls 10-10 to form afinger grip tab 18. The other end of the end wall has a projectingportion which curves downwardly and outwardly to form a pivotpin-receiving sleeve 20. A pivot pin 22 extends through the sleeve 20and passes over the top surface of the container top wall 4 adjacent theoutermost end of the dispensing opening 14. The

ends of the pin 22 are anchored to the top wall 4 as by extending thesame through openings in the top wall and bending the same inwardly, asshown most clearly in FIG. 5. In this manner, the spout member issupported for pivotal movement between a closed position (shown in FIG.3) where the side walls -10 are within the container and the end wall 16covers the dispensing opening 14, and an opened position (shown in FIG.2) where the side walls 10-10 are located outside of the container andthe end wall 16 extends generally vertically upwardly therefrom.Transverse tabs 24-24 extend from the bottom ends of the side walls10-10 to form stop shoulders preventing the complete removal of thespout member from the container 6. In the closed position of the spoutmember, the finger grip tab 18 projects beyond the inner margin of thedispensing opening 14 to form a convenient finger grip for opening thespout member.

The end wall 16 is provided with a series of perforations 26 over anarea spaced substantially from the pivot pin-receiving sleeve 20thereof, so as to leave an imperforate end wall portion 28 ofappreciable extent. The perforations 26 are of a size and number to siftrelatively small amounts of the pulverulent material in the container 6.

In accordance with the present invention, the end wall 16 is providedwith a longitudinal guideway or channel 29 which may take a variety offorms. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the guideway 29is formed from a piece of metal 30 which is bent upwardly and theninwardly at its sides to form short vertical side walls 32-32terminating in short inwardly extending lips 34- 34. Theguideway-forming piece 30 has a series of sifting perforations 35correspond-ing in size and location to the end wall perforations 26. Theguideway-forming piece may be secured to the end wall 16 in anydesirable manner, such as by soldering or bending portions thereofsnugly around the end wall 16. It should be apparent that the entirespout member including the guideway 29 could be an integral moldedelement made of synthetic plastic material.

The aforesaid cover slide member 9 is most advantageously an elongatedrectangular imperforate member having an upwardly projecting finger gripportion 40 at one end. The cover slide member is most advantageouslysized to fit frictionally and slidably within the guideway 29, so thatit will stay in place in the adjusted positions representing open andclosed positions thereof. The cover slide member 9 is positioned withinthe guideway 29 preferably so that the finger grip portion 40 thereof ison the side of the spout member containing the pivot pin 22. Whensifting is desired, the finger grip portion is grasped and pulled backwith the spout member in a closed position, to bring the opposite end ofthe cover slide member just outside of the outermost row of siftingperforations 26 and 35. The cover slide member then rests upon theimperforate portion 28 of the spout member end wall 16. There is thensufficient area of contact between the defining walls of guideway 29 andthe cover slide member that the latter is frictionally held in positionwithin the guideway 29 during the shaking of the container 6. In thisopen position, the cover slide member extends over the top of thecontainer top wall 4 beyond the outer end of the container dispensingopening 14, where the cover slide member acts as a stop shoulderpreventing pivoting of the spout member to its open position. When thecover slide member is pushed into its closed, fully retracted position,the sifting openings 26 and 35 are covered and the cover slide member is10- eat'ed within the confines of the spout member where the spoutmember may be readily opened and closed. The inward movement of thecover slide member may be limited in any suitable way as by a stopshoulder-38 (FIG. 4.) provided by tilting the finger gripportion 18 ofthe end wall 16 upwardly.

When pouring is desired, the cover slide member 9 is in its fullyretracted position within the guideway 29 and the finger grip portion 18of the spout member is grasped to pivot the spout member into the openposition shown in FIG. 2.

It is apparent that with the construction of the present invention justdescribed, the manipulations performed on the dispensing unit to providesifting and pouring of the pulverulent material are so completelydifferent that it is highly unlikely that the user will inadvertentlymanipulate the dispensing unit into a pouring condition when sifting isdesired and vice versa. Moreover, the dispensing unit of the inventionis rugged and of very simple and inexpensive construction, so that itmay be readily applied to containers used to market the pulverulentmaterials involved without appreciably increasing the cost thereof.

It should be understood that numerous modifications may be made of thepreferred form of the invention described above without deviating fromthe broader aspects of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. In combination, a container of pulverulent material with a dispensingopening therein, and a dispensing unit in said dispensing opening forselectively pouring or sifting said pulverulent material therethrough,'said dispensing unit comprising: a spout member having a pair ofspaced, material-guiding side walls sized to engage slidably oppositesides of said dispensing opening, and an end wall extending between saidside walls and being of a size to cover said dispensing opening, saidend wall having perforations therein through which said pulverulentmaterial is vsifted, pivot-forming means at the end of said containerdispensing opening for pivotally mounting the spout member within saiddispensing opening for movement between a closed position where saidside walls thereof are within said container, and an open position wheresaid side and end walls thereof are outside of said container and form apouring spout, a cover slide member for covering said end wallperforations, and means on said end wall for slidably supporting saidcover slide member for movement in a direction at right angles to thepivot axis of the spout member between a retracted position where saidcover slide member closes off said end wall and an extended positionwhere said cover slide member uncovers said end wall perforations andextends beyond the pivot forming means and over the outside of thecontainer adjacent the end of said dispensing opening to prevent thepivoting of said spout member from its closed to its opened position.

2. In combination, a container of pulverulent material having a top wallwith a dispensing opening therein and a dispensing unit in saiddispensing opening for selectively pouring or sifting said pulverulentmaterial therethrough, said dispensing unit comprising: a spout memberhaving a pair of spaced, material-guiding side walls sized to engageslidably opposite sides of said dispensing opening, and an end Wallextending between said side walls and being of a size to cover saiddispensing opening, said end wall having perforations therein throughwhich said pulverulent material is sifted, pivot-forming means at theouter end of said container dispensing opening for pivotally mountingthe spout member within said dispensing opening for movement between aclosed position where said side walls thereof are within said containerand an open position where said side Walls thereof are outside of saidcontainer and form a pouring spout, a cover slide member for coveringsaid end wall perforations, and means on said end wall for slidablysupporting said cover slide member on the outside thereof for movementin a direction at right angles to the pivot axis of the spout memberbetween a retracted position where said cover slide member closes offsaid end wall perforations, and an extended position where said coverslide member uncovers said end wall perforations and extends beyond thepivot forming means and over the outside of the container top walladjacent the outer end of said dispensing opening to prevent thepivoting of said spout member from its closed to its opened position.

3. A dispensing unit mountable within a dispensing opening in the wallof a container of pulverulent material, said dispensing unit comprising:a spout member having a pair of spaced, material-guiding side walls andan end Wall extending between said side walls and being of a size tocover said dispensing opening, said end wall having perforations thereinthrough which said pulverulent material is sifted, pivot-forming meansfor pivotally mounting the spout member within said dispensing openingfor movement between a closed position where said side walls thereof arewithin said container and said end Wall covers said dispensing opening,and an open position where said side and end walls thereof are outsideof said container, and form a spout for pouring said pulverulentmaterial, a cover slide member for covering said end wall perforations,guideway-forming means for frictionally slidably supporting said coverslide member on said spout member for movement in a direction at rightangles to the pivot axis of the spout member between a first positionWhere said cover slide member closes off said end wall perforations anda second position where said cover slide member uncovers said end wallperforations and extends beyond said pivot forming means over theoutside of the container wall to prevent the pivoting of said spoutmember from its closed position to its open position, means for limitingthe movement of said cover slide member beyond said first position, thefriction between said guideway-forming means and said cover slide membermaintaining said cover slide member in said second position during theshaking of said container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,537,408 Cogswell May 12, 1925 1,993,364 Ellstrom Mar. 5, 19352,891,703 Hassler June 23, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 937,045 France Mar, 1,1948

